Abstract
Objective
We compared learning experiences perceived to contribute to service-delivery competence in clinical, counselling, and sport psychologists to provide suggestions for UK sport psychology training and development.
Design
Qualitative – deductive.
Method
Clinical (n=5), counselling (n=5), and sport psychologists (n=10) took part in semi-structured interviews that were transcribed verbatim and transcripts were subject to a thematic content analysis.
Results
Participants across subdisciplines emphasised the role of client interactions in the process of learning service-delivery. Clinical and counselling participants also believed personal therapy, supervision, and peer interaction were influential and reported these were provided with their training. Sport psychologists reported having to be pro-active in seeking out peers and clients during training. In comparison to clinical and counselling psychologists, who were supported by multiple supervisors, sport psychologists often worked with the same supervisor throughout training.
Conclusions
Our findings give an indication of the experiences perceived to contribute to service-delivery competence. Sport psychologist training may be optimized by learning from the experiences of clinical and counselling psychologists. In particular, sport psychology educators, supervisors, and trainees may wish to consider multiple, diverse opportunities for experiential and reflective learning, for instance, receiving regular supervision from various individuals throughout training, engaging in self-analysis through personal development groups or personal therapy, and networking with peers to develop service for a range of clients.
Applied implications for UK sport psychologist training and development include: (a) regional networks for issue and scenario-based discussion with peers and elders, and (b) university-based sport psychology clinics.
We compared learning experiences perceived to contribute to service-delivery competence in clinical, counselling, and sport psychologists to provide suggestions for UK sport psychology training and development.
Design
Qualitative – deductive.
Method
Clinical (n=5), counselling (n=5), and sport psychologists (n=10) took part in semi-structured interviews that were transcribed verbatim and transcripts were subject to a thematic content analysis.
Results
Participants across subdisciplines emphasised the role of client interactions in the process of learning service-delivery. Clinical and counselling participants also believed personal therapy, supervision, and peer interaction were influential and reported these were provided with their training. Sport psychologists reported having to be pro-active in seeking out peers and clients during training. In comparison to clinical and counselling psychologists, who were supported by multiple supervisors, sport psychologists often worked with the same supervisor throughout training.
Conclusions
Our findings give an indication of the experiences perceived to contribute to service-delivery competence. Sport psychologist training may be optimized by learning from the experiences of clinical and counselling psychologists. In particular, sport psychology educators, supervisors, and trainees may wish to consider multiple, diverse opportunities for experiential and reflective learning, for instance, receiving regular supervision from various individuals throughout training, engaging in self-analysis through personal development groups or personal therapy, and networking with peers to develop service for a range of clients.
Applied implications for UK sport psychologist training and development include: (a) regional networks for issue and scenario-based discussion with peers and elders, and (b) university-based sport psychology clinics.
| Original language | English |
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| Publication status | Published - 17 Dec 2013 |
| Event | Division of Sport & Exercise Psychology, British Psychological Society Conference (DSEP) - The Midland Hotel, Manchester, United Kingdom Duration: 16 Dec 2013 → 17 Dec 2013 https://www1.bps.org.uk/events/conferences/division-sport-exercise-psychology-annual-conference2013 (Conference details on BPS website) |
Conference
| Conference | Division of Sport & Exercise Psychology, British Psychological Society Conference (DSEP) |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | United Kingdom |
| City | Manchester |
| Period | 16/12/13 → 17/12/13 |
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